Who painted Lioness Mourning her Cub?

Lioness Mourning her Cub was painted by Jacques Callot in 1628.

Where can I see Lioness Mourning her Cub?

Lioness Mourning her Cub is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Lioness Mourning her Cub?

Lioness Mourning her Cub is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Lioness Mourning her Cub?

Museum-quality prints of Lioness Mourning her Cub are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Lioness Mourning her Cub

Jacques Callot , 1628

Lioness Mourning her Cub is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Jacques Callot. It dates from 1628 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1628, *Lioness Mourning her Cub* is an etching executed on laid paper by the French Baroque printmaker Jacques Callot. The monochrome image presents a solitary lioness on a grassy bank, her head thrown back in a vocal gesture, while a lifeless cub lies at her feet. A barren tree and faint horizon complete the composition, conveying a stark, somber atmosphere.

Subject & Meaning

The work captures a moment of animal grief, emphasizing the emotional weight of loss through the lioness’s posture and the cub’s stillness. By focusing on a natural scene rather than a mythological or allegorical narrative, Callot invites viewers to contemplate the universal experience of mourning, extending his interest in human drama to the animal kingdom.

Technique & Style

Callot employed traditional etching, incising lines into a copper plate with acid before printing onto laid paper.

Callot employed traditional etching, incising lines into a copper plate with acid before printing onto laid paper. The fine, controlled strokes render delicate textures of fur, grass, and distant landscape, while the stark contrast of black ink against the paper’s faint lines heightens the scene’s drama. The composition reflects Callot’s characteristic blend of precise detail and expressive realism.

History & Provenance

Part of Callot’s prolific output of more than 1,400 prints, this piece belongs to a series that explores both secular and religious themes. While the exact early ownership record is unclear, the etching has been cited in catalogues of Callot’s work since the 19th century and appears in several museum collections dedicated to Baroque graphic art.

Context

During the early 17th century, Callot’s prints documented a wide range of subjects—from military campaigns to courtly festivities—often set within meticulously rendered environments. *Lioness Mourning her Cub* illustrates his willingness to extend this documentary impulse to the natural world, aligning with contemporary Baroque interests in dramatic emotion and the vivid portrayal of life’s fleeting moments.